Rugby: Tauranga Sports win despite red card for mouthguard blunder

Tyrone Keith scored for Tauranga Sports against Ngongotaha. Photo / Drops Photography

Yellow and red cards are usually dished out by referees for high tackles, dangerous play and cynical defensive fouls.

But not wearing a mouth guard?

It was certainly a learning experience for players and spectators at Tauranga Domain on Saturday as Tauranga Sports lost a player to the sin bin for 10 minutes and another given a red card for not wearing mouth guards.

The rule is if a player is sin-binned for not wearing a mouth guard the next player to be caught out gets a straight red. The players had plenty of warning from referee Miah Williams.

The safety protocol has been enforced with no exceptions by referees around New Zealand so there can be no excuse for players not knowing. Ajay Mua (yellow) and Paula Narawa (red) will certainly not forget the 38-14 victory over Ngongotaha.

Tauranga Sports needed to dig deep after the cards were issues in the first half and the result was never in doubt but for a 10-minute spell before the break when Ngongotaha closed to 10-7.

The two carded players scored the opening tries to give Tauranga Sports a 10-0 lead they held until Ngongotaha scored a converted try just before the break. But with time up Tauranga surged back on attack and it was fitting hooker Alan McRobbie crossed for a try in his 150th game for the club.

The second half was a cake walk for the home side with three excellent tries scored through winger Tyrone Keith and a brace to barnstorming second five Jone Lagibola rounding out the win.

Tauranga Sports assistant coach Culum Retallick was pleased with how many players are getting game time.

"Over the last five weeks we have used about 30-odd players which is good for us as the players have been turning up for training and they have got the opportunity," he said.

"It becomes good for the second round too in the sense that if we get a few injuries people have had a run and they are up to speed with some of the stuff we are doing. We have the starting 22 that can do the job but the more guys we can get out there to experience this level the better."

Retallick said they had been working on refocusing after losing a player to the bin rather than going flat out to try and score off every play.

"We have been focusing on trying to run hard, carry the ball hard, clean out hard, nice and direct and our game seems to flow in behind that. If we do those things we look good. We need to play a hell of a lot more territory. I think we are learning that we can't score from 40 out all the time and we learned a few lessons against Te Puna like that."

Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier
Paroa 24 v Arataki 56
Tauranga Sports 38 v Ngongotaha 14
Te Puke Sports 43 v Mount Maunganui 10
Te Puna 46 v Whakarewarewa 14
Rotoiti 24 v Rangataua 17
Greerton Marist 69 v Whakatane Marist 8

Development
Paroa 29 v Arataki 24
Tauranga Sports 29 v Ngongotaha 21
Te Puke Sports 48 v Mount Maunganui 7
Te Puna 82 v Whakarewarewa 0
Rotoiti 24 v Rangataua 46
Greerton Marist win v Whakatane Marist default

Division One
Poroporo 8 v Opotiki 94
Kahukura 22 v Waikite 38
Te Teko 17 v Ruatoki 7
Waimana 14 v Murupara 38
Marist St Michael's 44 v Judea 5
Papamoa 3 v Rangiuru 55

Secondary School boys' results
Chiefs Cup
Rotorua Boys' High School 31 vs Tauranga Boys' College 3
Baywide 1st XV Division 1
Te Wharekura o Mauao 34 v Trident High School 17
Tauranga Boys' College II 27 v Western Heights High School 28
Baywide 1st XV Division 2
Te Puke High School 62 v Whakatane High School 0
Otumoetai College 22 v Tauhara College 17
Aquinas College 24 v Papamoa College 36